Juan Cole: Is Greece’s “No” on Debt Referendum another Youth Revolution?

[eridani]

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/07/06/greeces-no-debt-referendum-another-youth-revolution

During the past 5 years, the old categories of politics– left, right, center or capitalist and socialist– have been challenged by a new one, that of youth. What the Millennials want has begun to matter in addition to the other factors.

That Greece has a left-wing government run by the Syriza Party that urged a “no” vote on the referendum is itself in part of function of the youth vote and of the positions taken by the youth wing of Syriza. Youth voted “no” at even higher rates than the general population. They have faced impossible unemployment rates of 50% because of banks-imposed austerity and they are insisting that some other policy must be possible. They may be right or they may be wrong, but that they are flexing their political muscles and that they have understandable grievances are not in doubt.

A representative of Syriza’s youth wing told the Real News Network:

“SPOURDALAKIS: Well, I would say that both SYRIZA and the youth wing are more radical, at least in their positions, than the government is. For example, the youth wing has opened the issues of human rights, the issues of immigration, the issues of equal rights for the LGBT community, and so on. And these are issues which are not popular in the Greek society. And, therefore, the government’s positions, I would say, are less radical than those of the party or those of the youth. And what we’re trying to do is both [incompr.] pressure and check the government into implementing this kind of policy, but also trying to create a movement which will change the view that the society has on these issues.

[mother earth]

1. Maybe so, and as it should be, since they inherit what's been done without their consent, now is

the time to voice their dissent, there, here, everywhere.

K & R for all these lessons. The times they are a changing.

[Warpy]

2. They are, indeed

but having a jerk like Cole try to dismiss it as "only the kiddies" is disingenuous as well as insulting to the 60% of Greeks who have had enough of being bled white.

The one thing Syriza has to ram through is a stiffer tax on wealth and teeth to enforce it. Make the people who benefited from the debt start to pay the vig on it.

[mother earth]

3. Try as some may to be dismissive, it doesn't really matter, those who know, know the youth in Greece

and everywhere are the ones who inherit the mess, and because of that they are always the drive behind change. I applaud all those there & here who are the driving force behind change, they are the strength and courage of any nation or people.

As for what Greece needs to do going forward, Syriza has always been able to see the big picture, their vision has been spelled out and is one of shared prosperity and putting an end to oligarchs and they know EXACTLY what needs to be done & have been working toward that goal right along. This very long battle is not over, and it has always been one of class warfare, they fully understand the tax evasion problem, the Troika never gave a damn, but Syriza does.

As for Cole, he just may be a freelancer...I am glad the youth have at least been recognized in this article, the only other interview where the youth were seen as perhaps the biggest driving force in Greece was done by TRNN...